Collapsible camp-table.



AENT re COLLAPSIBLE CAMP-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed August 21, 1917. Serial No. 187,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP M. KIRKLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Independence, in the county of Polk and State of Oregon,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CollapsibleCamp-Tables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to tables, and more particularly to thattype known as folding tables.

An object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible camptable which may be quickly and easily folded into compact form andpacked in a relatively small space; which is light in weight, simpleconstruction, is strong and rigid when set up, and hasrelatively fewparts; and a table which may be economically constructed.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill be in part described, and in part understood, from the followingdetailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the sameillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is aperspective view of a folding camp table constructed according to thepresent invention, the same being set pp, and the top being shown indotted mes.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the table top.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the same in the plane of thehinges.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interlocking endportions of the members of the table at one corner thereof, the endportions being shown separated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the end portions of Fig. 4 inassembled relation.

Referring to this drawing, 10 designates a central post or leg which ispreferably rectangular in cross section to present a plurality of fiatfaces at the opposite sides of the post 10. The post 10 is provided witha plurality of legs 11 which are pivotally mounted intermediate theirends on bolts 12 which pass through post 10 and hold the intermediateportions of the legs 11 flat against the adjacent sides of the post 10.The post 10 is preferably provided with four fiat sides and a leg 11 isprovided for each flat side of the post. The four legs 11 are adapted tobe swung about their bolts or pivots 12 into substantially parallelismwith the post 10 to fold the pedestal structure of the table intocompact form.

As shown in Fig. 1, the legs 11 may be swung into positions obliquelyacross the adjacent faces of the. post 10, in which positions the legs11 diverge downwardly and are substantially supported by the post 10.The legs 11 are of a length such that their lower ends lie substantiallyin the same horizontally plane of the lower end of the post 10. The legs11 are preferably reinforced at the portions through which the bolts 12engage by sheet metal straps 13 which may extend about three sides ofthe legs 11 and are suitably apertured to receive the bolts 12therethrough.

Two adjacent legs 11 are provided with extension feet 14 in the form offlat bars slidably engaging against the lower edges of the legs 11, attheir lower ends. The extensions 14 are held against the inner edges ofthe legs 11 by metal straps 15 suitably secured to the legs and engagingabout the extensions, a pair of metal straps being preferably arrangedupon each of the two legs. Set screws 16 are threaded through the legs11 opposite the extensions 14, and are adapted to bind against thelatter for holding them in longitudinally adjusted position in the metalstraps 15. The extensions 14 are adapted particularly for use where thecamp table is set up on the side of a terrace, or on uneven ground, andwherein it is necessary to lengthen one or more of the legs formaintaining the top of the table in substantially a horizontal plane.

The upper end of each leg 11 is provided with a sheet metal cap 17 thelatter inclosing the upper end of the leg 11 and being riveted orotherwise permanently secured thereto. Locking pins are screwed into theupper ends of the legs 11 and the caps 17, the pins 18 projectingupwardly and substantially vertically, and the upper ends of the legsbeing beveled to lie substantially in a horizontal plane, when the legsare set up or spread apart.

A pair of pivotally connected cross-braces 19 are adapted to be placedin crossed relation at their intermediate portions upon the upper end ofthe post 10, the braces 19 having registering apertures adapted toreceive dud therethrough an upstanding threaded stem projecting from thetop of the post 10 to hold the braces from relative longitudinalmovement, and from displacement from the post. The stem 20 is providedwith a nut threaded on its upper end and which is adapted to be advancedor screwed against the braces 19 to hold them to the post and securelylook all the parts in set up position.

' Each end of each brace 19 is reinforced by the provision of a metalcap or plate 21, which is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to theend oi the brace, and which is provided. in opposite sides withlongitudinally extending slots 22, the slOtsregistering and extendingthrough the adjacent ends of the brace 19. The slots 22 are of a widthto freely receive the upstanding locking pins 20 18 therethrough, thepins 18 being adapted to be inserted at any suitable point in the slots22, and to move into the outer ends of the slots to engage the marginaledges of the caps 21 and the braces 19 to holdthe upper ends of the legs11 from spreading beyond the ends of the braces. These braces 19reinforce and hold the legs from spreading, impart to the table pedestalstructure relatively great strength, and provide means which may bequickly disengaged from the legs and the central post and folded intocompact form for packing into a small space with the legs.

A pair of side bars 23 is provided, the bars 23 having near theiropposite "ends apertures 24 therethrough tor the reception of the pins18, which latter project upwardly through the braces 19 and may projectthrough the bars23 to hold thesamein substantially parallel relationsides of the table structure.

The side bars 28 have fiat upper faces adapted to receive a top 25thereon, the top being preferably iormed of a plurality-of ".nic,'campparties and the like, and maybe hinged leavesor sections which maybe'col lapsed into small space. I

When the table is set up, as shown in Fi '1, the lower edges oi the legs11 engage across the upper edges of the next adjacent legs extendingtherebeneath so that the legs are interlocked and pressed against eachother to a large extent, and by the provision of the braces 19, the legsand the posts form a substantially rigid. strong structure capable ofwithstanding'an extra amount of weight andhard usage.

The device is adapted particularly for pic- "conveniently packed in anautomobile, a

boat, or other convenient placeoiftransporta-tion, and' occupies butrelatively small j'spacefi 1t will be noted that-hot only may the legstructure be "folded compactly, but thebrac'e' bars 1'9 andthe sidebars23-may -:alsc be t'oldq-id compactly :saa arspeea or at the opposite{firmly connectthe parts and vibration. In this instance, the centralpost and the side bars, and may retain the top in assembled relation onthe upper ends of the legs. I

The table top 25 may be formedpt any desired number of sections, and forthe purpose of illustration the table top is shown in the presentinstance as having tour sections or leaves. The middle sections arehingedly connected together at their upper adjacent edges and the nextadjacent sections are hingedly connected at their lower edges to thefree ends, and to thelower edges, of the intermediate sections. It 1 isof course understood that where more than four leaves or sections areemployed, the

hinges connecting the sections are alternately arranged at the upper andlower meeting edges 01 the sections so that the latter ma "foldoppositely and successively upon one another.

The" central post 10 is preferably of such length that when thecross-pieces 19 "are connected to the upper ends ofthe legs, the lowerend of the post 10 is spaced from the ground sothat the upper ends ofthelegs bind'in the ends of the cross-pieces and thus hold them'lrom 10forms a connection between the legs" and the braces.

What is claimed is 1. In wielding-table, acentral post, legs pivoted'intermediate their ends to the opposite sides of the post andad'apted'to -be swung diagonally across thepost to-su'pport the same,locking pinsextending upwardly "from the upper ends'o'f the legs,bracesdetachably engaging across the post and the legs and having openings intheir ends to receive the locking pins, side bars engaging across-theends of the braces and having openingstherein to receive the lockingpins,

and aflcollapsible topresting on said side bars.

2} In standin table, the combination of a central 'post, a" pluralityctlegs pivoted intermediate their ends to the opposite sides of thepost'aiid'adapted' to be. swung" into open position about th'e'post,'apair of braces detimhably engaging in crossed relation 5 upon the up erend" oi?"- the post,- means for detachably interlocking the upper endsof the legs to the outer end of the braces, and a table top detachablysupported upon the braces.

3. In a folding table, the combination of a central post, a plurality oflegs pivoted intermediate their ends to the opposite sides of the postand adapted to be swung into open position thereabout, a pair of bracebars having apertures intermediate their ends, a stem projectingupwardly from the post for engagement through the apertures in the bracebars to retain the latter in crossed relation on the upper end of thepost, side bars engaging over the ends of the brace bars, a collapsibletop resting on said side bars, and locking means carried by the legs fordetachable engagement with the adjacent portions of the brace bars, theside bars and the top.

4. In a folding table, the combination of a central post, a plurality oflegs pivoted intermediate their ends to the opposite sides of the postand adapted to be swung into ends of the legs and adapted to engage in'said slots to hold the legs to the braces, side bars engaging across thebraces and having 5 openings therein for the reception of said pins toretain the side bars on the braces, and a collapsible top resting onsaid side bars and having openings in its under side to receive theupper extremities of said pins 4.-

for anchoring the top to the table,

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP M. KIRKLAND.

Witnesses:

JEssn D. WHITEAKER, ROY R. WHITEAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. 0.

